Cherry Blossoms and Chakra Strings
by Trynia Merin
Summary: Kankuro of the Sand has designs on a pink haired medical nin. Various fics including this couple are posted here under one heading.
1. Chapter 1 Strings Attached First Date

Chapter: 1 (Companion story to 'Outfoxed')

Author: StarbearerTM

Word count: 4653 total (in two parts)

Series: Naruto Shippuden

Pairing: KankuroxSakura, implied ChojixIno

Rating: Chapter 1 T, Chapter 2 MA for m/f lemon and sex

Spoilers: Naruto Shippuden episode 28, Rescue the Kazekage arc. Takes place after the Pain arc though.

A/N: Takes place after another story I am posting soon. However, you do not have to read it to enjoy this one. One of the pairings that was suggested by achillona for the pink haired kunoichi that people either love or hate, or tolerate, Haruno Sakura.

Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto Shippuden and created it, I didn't. Shonen Jump licenses the anime and manga. I make no money writing this fan fiction.

Away from the Ichiraku Ramen Bar walked the medical ninja Sakura, clutching the hand of her male companion dressed all in black. A more unlikely pair two people could hardly see, but the medical ninja and the puppet user ninja seemed as comfortable walking down the street hand in hand then any of the other couples.

"Let's just go for a walk," Kankuro suggested.

"And a movie," Sakura agreed.

Both of them strode past a shop resplendent with potted plants and trays of bright flowers. Sakura still presented a sour smile as she looked straight ahead. Yet the blonde girl in purple with the long ponytail helping to set out trays of flowers happened to glance in her direction. She waved, only one eye visible under the fall of blonde hair.

"Sakura!" she called.

"Hey there, Ino san, Choji san, been a while," Kankuro called from next to Sakura, waving with one hand while lacing his fingers together with his girlfriends with his other hand.

"Hi," the pink haired kunoichi murmured, snapping her head around to answer.

"Kankuro san?" called Ino in surprise, twisting her hips more as she set down the tray of seedlings on a shelf by the Yaminaka flower shop sign.

"Careful Ino," murmured the massive ninja in silver and red armor behind her. He lifted both large hands to steady her hips as she twisted round. Seeing the two standing there, the redheaded warrior gave a gentle smile. "Hi there, Sakura san, Kankuro san? I heard the sand siblings were in town but this is a nice surprise."

"You two on a date?" Ino asked as she blinked, wide eyed. "Sakura why didn't you tell me that you two..."

"Two months at least," Sakura said nervously wrestling a smile to her face as Choji helped Ino down from the ladder as if she weighed nothing. From the way that stocky Akimichi set her down it was as if she were made of china. Still he kept an arm around her waist.

Distinctive spirals on both of Choji's rotund cheeks shifted from his warm grin. "Congratulations you two!"

"Same to you guys. Six months is it?" Kankuro asked, grinning up at him. "That's what Kiba told me."

"It is," Sakura whispered to him, her insides starting to calm down with her friend's curious gaze shifting to her boyfriend.

"Say, I'm here to pick up that item I ordered here earlier," Kankuro said to Ino who wiped the potting soil off her hands with a rag Choji handed her.

"Of course, it's just inside," she said, waiting for her boyfriend to hold the door open. Sakura felt Kankuro give her hand a squeeze before they both entered. Her green eyes grew very wide seeing the large bouquet Ino pulled out of the refrigerator and hand across the sales counter.

"What... what in the will of fire is THIS?" The pink haired kunoichi gasped, stunned when Kankuro let go of her hand and passed the bouquet to her. Roses and carnations with irises seemed to get together into a smorgasbord of smells and bright color.

The painted performer chuckled at her. "What, you act like you've never seen a guy give his girl flowers before?"

"That's a start. It's not easy to see Sakura chan here speechless. What's wrong Bilboard brow, aren't you gonna thank him?" Ino teased counting the money that the puppet user pulled out of his pouch and handed to her.

Sakura simply grumbled at her best friend, "Oh knock it off, Ino Pig."

"They're beautiful Sakura," murmured Choji as he looked at them appreciatively.

"I don't know what to say, they... they are," Sakura whispered, taking in their scent and beauty.

"Glad you think so, Sakura chan," whispered her boyfriend in her ear as she clutched the flowers close to her and a shy smile crossed her face.

Sasuke had never once bought her flowers. Naruto may have, but she had never said yes to any dates with him. The idea was just like dating a brother or an annoying but endearing sibling. She just wasn't in love with the blonde host of the nine-tailed fox spirit. Alternatively, even Lee, the taijutsu user who would shower her with dedications of love.

"Thank you... Kankuro," Sakura eventually blurted out. She felt the weight of Choji and Ino's gaze on her, both either happy or surprised at the realization of who had been sending her letters the past few weeks. Or just why she'd run off to do missions in Suna, nearly three days walk from Konoha village. Kankuro too seemed frozen in that moment.

"I... I really that's so sweet of you," she added, bending over. She pressed a timid kiss to one painted cheek, surprised when he stretched out a black sleeved arm and pulled her into him.

"No problem, babe," he murmured, eyes gleaming. "Glad you like them..."

On the edge of public spectacle, Sakura noticed that her two friends were staring at her. Not to mention that several others had gathered and were blinking at the two of them. Sakura's green-eyed glare swept as she leaned into the puppet user, and felt his heart pounding against hers.

"Woohoo, way to go, buddy!" whistled Kiba, his eyes gleaming as he peered into the door.

"Hey Kiba, what's up?" asked Kankuro, giving him a smile at the thumbs up.

Sakura formed a fist with her hand but with one arm holding flowers and the other pulled by the puppet user around his waist made it hard to concentrate her chakra in her arm. Glaring irritated at the people gathering she saw nothing else to do but lean up and peck her date on the lips. Kankuro's arms drew her tightly to him, his own head angling over hers. Greasepaint and all. Luckily, he sealed it with powder so it would not smear.

In her throat, Sakura's heart pounded and her cheeks flushed hearing people whispering, muttering, or a loud wolf whistle from Kiba, Kankuro's best friend in Konoha. A low moan came out of her throat as she melted into his embrace, crushing the flowers between them.

"Whoa, Sakura chan! Way to go!" shouted a familiar voice that made her bristle.

"Oh NO! My one true love is taken!" sobbed another voice and Sakura turned her head slightly staring past Kankuro's hood to see a figure in green with tears streaming down his face dramatically.

"Honestly Lee san, she wasn't yours to begin with," sighed the pale-eyed warrior next to him.

"You don't have to rub it in Neji," mumbled the girl with her hair in twin buns next to him, digging him in the elbow. She wrapped an arm around her sobbing teammate's shoulders and angled him away.

The figure in orange and black was pumping his fist and cheering like an idiot next to Shikamaru, who rolled his eyes. "Yeah, smooch him good, Sakura chan!" Naruto cheered on.

"I'm going to die of embarrassment," Sakura whispered as she panted from the kiss. "Or punch someone for..."

"Interrupting?" Kankuro supplied, noticing that his purple lipstick was smeared all over her mouth. Sakura nodded, bright pink all over.

"It's fine for you, you're used to performing in front of everyone," Sakura whispered trying to resist the impulse to run or crack skulls for staring at a kiss. Instead, she shouted, "What are you all staring at? You never saw two people KISS before?"

Immediately everyone backed away, seeing her fist glowing blue. The gathering group parted as soon as they saw that telltale use of chakra. Taking Kankuro by the hand, she tugged him behind her.

"Show time's over folks!" Kankuro called, waiving as his girlfriend walked him towards her apartment.


	2. Chapter 2 Strings Attached Time Together

Title: With Strings Attached

Chapter: 2 ( Companion story to 'Outfoxed')

Author: StarbearerTM

Word count: 4653 total

Series: Naruto Shippuden

Pairing: KankuroxSakura, implied ChojixIno

Rating: MA for m/f lemon and sex

Spoilers: Naruto Shippuden episode 28, Rescue the Kazekage arc. Takes place after the Pain arc though.

* * *

A/N: Takes place after another story I am posting soon. However, you do not have to read it to enjoy this one. One of the pairings that was suggested by achillona for the pink haired kunoichi that people either love or hate, or tolerate, Haruno Sakura.

Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto Shippuden and created it, I didn't. Shonen Jump licenses the anime and manga. I make no money writing this fan fiction.

* * *

"I want an action flick, babe," Kankuro muttered as he sat down on the bed in Sakura's room. Underneath the puppet user, her pink bedspread yielded a bit, a contrast to his black Bunraku inspired outfit. If people didn't know he was the brother of the Kazekage Gaara, they'd think that Kankuro, the expert puppet user and jonin rank shinobi wasn't related at all to the leader of the village of hidden sand.

"You guys always want more explosions and bombs," Sakura murmured, flicking through the paper spread out on the desk in front of her. She stood up from the desk chair and paced around.

"That's not a bad thing, because I know you love drooling at the action heroes..." Kankuro drawled, waggling a painted eyebrow.

"And you like looking at the girls without many clothes on," Sakura replied, turning on him. She rested both hands on her hips looking angry, until she then started to giggle.

"That's not the main girl I like looking at though, babe," said Kankuro as he glanced up at her. Sakura then saw him extend a hand towards her and she felt invisible strings fly out to capture her joints. Slowly Kankuro wriggled his fingers and she lifted her hands above her head, making her breasts stand out a bit more. Then jerking his hand up she leapt up and down a few times. Strangely, Sakura found this not scary but strangely erotic.

"Nice bounce. VERY nice bounce," Kankuro commented, extending his other hand as he leaned back on her bed. Sakura then felt him twitch a finger so her one hand slid down and traced over her breasts to cup them. Her other hand did the same and started to undo her own kimono.

"What are you up to, you pervert," Sakura mumbled, glaring at him a bit.

"Just admiring the scenery in front of me," Kankuro replied, manipulating her fingers to untie her kimono and reveal her bandaged chest. Then he threw out another chakra string and used it to snare the garment and drape it neatly over a chair to her delight.

"I thought you preferred women with big breasts," Sakura muttered.

"On you your breasts are just the right size. And your ass is definitely something I could stare at all day," Kankuro murmured as he looked towards her licking his lips. She twirled around so he could see the body part in question.

"Just the right size for what?" Sakura asked, feeling her hands manipulated to rub her backside with one while the other started to unfasten her breast bindings.

"For me to feast my eyes on," Kankuro answered in a low sultry voice that caused her to shiver all over. "What else?"

To most that may seem the words of a creepy pervert but Sakura could hear the truth in his tone. Heart pounding, she ached for someone's touch. Anyone's. While Lee was cute and gallant, she just wasn't in love with him. Yet there was a spark between her and this puppet master she couldn't deny. Instead of stopping him manipulating her hands she allowed him to continue unbinding her breasts. A long strip of cloth fell to the floor revealing Sakura's toned back. Cool air hit her exposed chest that she suddenly felt her own hands cupping. Then she spun around to see the puppeteer looking at her with a seductive smile on her face.

"Nice, VERY nice... but I want to see more," he murmured.

"How much more?" Sakura panted, her lids half closed because of Kankuro's chakra strings on her fingers that were lightly squeezing her breasts. Gasping she let out a low moan.

Then Kankuro put both hands forward and turned her around to back towards the bed. Her knee hit his clothed one, and she felt herself delicately lowered to sit down on his lap. Her eyes widened to feel how toned his thighs were, and she groaned at the breath fanning the back of her neck.

"Comfy?" he asked in a playful tone.

"Better than standing there hardly able to move," she replied, still gasping at the feel of her own hands twisting and massaging her breasts. "Mnn..."

"Let go Sakura babe, and relax," he muttered as he wrapped both arms around her. She saw the gleaming chakra strings from his fingers that were fastened to her body.

"Kankuro... why did you want to date me?" Sakura murmured.

"You saved my life, and it kind of snowballed from there," whispered the puppeteer, bending her neck to face him. His eyes were half closed, intensely gazing into hers and the paint made him look even more exotic.

"Then can you touch me, with your own hands for a bit?" Sakura whispered, wondering what his touch would be like with hands capable of controlling puppets so exactly.

"Whatever you want, Sakura chan," he breathed, turning her around with his puppetry so she floated up, then ended up kneeling straddling him. Once freed, Sakura lowered her arms around his neck and groaned at the sensation of those talented hands running up and down her back with feather light touches.

"Mmm..." she murmured, tipping her head forwards and to the side. Kankuro's eyes met hers and he hesitated.

"You sure you want this?" he asked.

Sakura nodded. "I want this, with you and only you Kankuro."

"Good." The puppet user ninja then grinned and closed the gap at the same moment she did. Instead of a hungry kiss, she felt his greasepaint covered lips brush hers lightly and chastely. Only the hint of his tongue tracing over hers made it naughty.

"Mmm..." Sakura moaned, opening her mouth a bit. Kankuro snagged a breath before his tongue darted out to meet hers. Through the material of his hood, she tried to feel his hair, and he let her pull it off and let it drop to the bed. Now that his brown spiky hair was revealed, she buried her fingers into it and tugged on it a bit. She was sure that her own lips now were smeared with purple.

"That color looks good on you," said Kankuro seductively, cupping her cheeks.

Sakura glanced down a bit, and then pushed a bit of hair out of his face as an excuse to touch his ears. Bending forwards, she ran her tongue along the outer rim before dipping the pink tip into his ear canal with small thrusts. Kankuro's resulting groan encouraged her, so she switched sides.

"Ohh nice," he whispered back, then caught her earlobe between his teeth to nibble it and suck. At the same time she felt talented sensitive fingertips dancing over her exposed breasts.

Glancing past his shoulder, she saw the clock on the wall and couldn't help but ask lazily, "You sure you don't want to see a movie first?"

"I'd prefer the live performance here a lot more, Sakura babe," the puppeteer ninja drawled, giving her a wicked but lascivious smirk.

"Good, because I'm having too much fun here anyway," Sakura whispered, winking at him seductively.

Stretched out on a pink bedspread, Kankuro looked up at the owner of the room around him and smirked. She had seized his hands and pressed him down under her limber and half-naked body at that moment. For a while, he figured he would let her dominate because he had just used that puppet jutsu on her.

"I'm surprised you're not more pissed at me," he grinned.

"You forget Granny Chiyo used the same jutsu on me and I trust her completely?" Sakura asked, dipping her head near his mouth so her breath pulsed past his painted lips.

It was suddenly thick and far too hot in that room that Kankuro was glad she already pulled his hood off. He could almost imagine the greasepaint on his face melting together from how incredibly molten his own body felt pressed to hers. Reaching up he teased the pink nipples already protruding wringing a loud moan from Sakura sitting on top of his hips. She had let go of his wrists at this point thankfully.

"Ohh… they ARE talented,' she whispered, closing her eyes and arching her back as she straddled his hips. Bracing her hands on his chest for balance, she rubbed his chest through his shirt.

"No kidding, but you already knew that Sakura babe," he panted up, loving the contrast of her skin on his black Bunraku outfit. Grabbing at the hem, she tugged it up so he was forced to remove his hands from worshipping her breasts. Working it carefully past his makeup so she would not smudge it she pulled it off.

"Better," she decided, smoothing his chest.

"I love the feel of those hands," Kankuro drawled, cupping and squeezing her breasts that fit his hands perfectly.

She repositioned herself to sit perfectly on his erection tenting his pants before she massaged his muscles and flickered his own nipples to life. "Any particular reason why?" she asked.

"Oh I don't know, maybe because they saved my ass from poison?" Kankuro teased, running one hand to tickle her side so she let out a squeak and curled into his touch. She almost collapsed onto his chest panting from that as he continued his assault and she lost her balance.

Around her palms, a faint green glow could be seen and Kankuro felt his nerves tingling with pleasure. The art of medical ninjutsu seemed to trip centers in his skin where he felt an intense high rising over him and he arched his back, grinding up into her. She giggled and whispered, "Like it?"

"Naughty girl," he whispered back, clutching her upper arms. "Why don't we finish unwrapping and get to the main event. We can always play a little more after because I know and you know we're both going crazy."

"If you insist," Sakura whispered, backing up to sit on his side. Kankuro grabbed at the edge of his pants and she helped him slid them off and over his bent knees. Black silk boxers underneath caused her to gasp in surprise.

He reached down to her panties, sliding a gloved finger under them teasingly. Sakura flipped onto her back so he could ease them off. Before he did so, he kissed her belly and suckled at her breasts. His hands tickled her ribs once more causing her body to spasm like one of his puppets on strings. At that moment, he hooked his fingers through the panties and eased them down her legs.

Sakura nervously glanced up at him examining her body. No STARING at it. He licked his lips a second later, drawing one hand down the length of her naked body to her lower patch of hair, teasing lightly with his fingertips. No critical comments, just the lustful gaze of a man who liked what he saw.

"Something wrong, Sakura?" he asked for a moment, his painted face scrunching into a worried from.

"You're just staring… you don't have anything to say?" she whispered up, her green eyes cloudy.

"What can I say except you're freaking gorgeous and sexy?" he asked, fingering her lower lips teasingly while taking a breast in his mouth. Relief filled her and she reveled in the bathing of lips and tongue suckling at her.

His head bobbed up through the haze of lust. "Why? Did someone tell you differently?"

"I've never had a guy just LOOK and touch," she confessed.

"Every woman's body is different like every puppet. Unique. But each body has its own hidden tricks and mechanisms," Kankuro said matter of fact while his fingers slipped in and suddenly thrust into her core. Sakura let out a cry and writhed from head to toe.

Blushing from head to toe she glanced up at him in shock. He had that tongue of his licking his lips, one hand gripping her body to position it so her pale thighs were wrapped around his waist loosely and he could continue thrusting his fingers into her now wet opening. Right into that hidden place he pressed, up inside while stimulating her clit with his thumb. Sakura panted and almost screamed her loudest with each thrusting spread.

"Wow," Kankuro whispered as he smiled down at her. "Never had THAT strong a reaction before. You realize how sexy that was?"

"N… no…" she whispered as she half sat up and Kankuro pulled her to sit on his lap.

"You've got an amazing body and an amazing mind, babe," purred the puppeteer. "And I LOVE playing with it."

He grasped one of her hands and pressed it on the lump of his erection. Smiling nervously she realized the lusty intent of his dark eyes and his nod. Focusing she slid her hand through the fly and wrapped her fingers around him. Kankuro's eyes snapped shut and he let out a moan, so Sakura edged the elastic down to reveal his member standing up and pressed to his abdomen. Fingers curled around the shaft but could not quite wrap entirely the circumference. Instead she used her thumb to spread the bead of moisture over the opening and bulbous head.

It was her time to play.

When she pushed him down, he didn't question her face dipping down or her mouth encircling him. Kankuro just buried his fingers in her hair and moaned words of encouragement to the medic ninja bobbing her head up and down. On the other hand, rubbing his balls with one hand while using her other on the bottom of his shaft. A medical ninja and kunoichi such as her learned how to pleasure a man as part of her training, just like arranging flowers or performing a tea ceremony.

If a mission warranted it, they would sleep with anyone. However, sexual relationships between shinobi themselves were not unheard of. In fact, they were encouraged.

"Hold on a sec," Kankuro whispered.

"Something wrong?" she asked looking up at him as she licked her lips.

"Help me take these off," he urged and she tugged his underwear all the way off so they were both nude save his face paint and gloves. Sakura felt relief at the forming lump in her throat serving no purpose.

"More?" she asked softly, though at this point she still kept hold of his length, squeezing it a bit.

"You're setting the pace, but to tell you the truth I'd really like to be inside you," Kankuro whispered in her ear hoarsely. Sakura's heart pounded and she braced her hands on his shoulders trying to scramble onto his hips.

Hands steadying her he helped lower her so his head touched her now wet opening. Sakura saw him looking at their crotches intently though his hands wrapped around her hips and he lay on his back. That broad cylinder of flesh was poking and prodding so she guided it with one hand. Ever so slowly, she eased him in, enjoying the expression on his face as his eyes rolled back into his head and he let out a loud low sigh she knew was relief.

It was a comfortably predictable and gratifying expression to see on a man's face. However, the other reason she inched him in so slowly was practical. Right now, her face filled with a bit of discomfort from stretching around him. At full length, she winced to let his tip touch the top of her cervix and push past.

"Hey, it's hurting isn't it? I'm not trying to brag here but…" he began, holding her off him a bit. He had been watching her enough to be sensitive to her overstretched channel trying to accommodate him.

"All right, you are… bigger than I'm used to," Sakura panted, bracing her hands on his chest, secretly glad the puppeteer was pulling himself out enough so she was no longer pained but comfortably positioned.

He then flipped them over so she lay on her back and he arched over her. Kankuro's face was twisted into a mask of self control because she could tell from how he was quivering how desperately he wanted to continue, but how much he wanted to make sure she was comfortable. Sakura whispered up to him and he complied, contorting both of them into a position so she was even more stretched and he could seat himself firmly with a few thrusts.

Those remarkable hands along with hers on his body worked their magic, easing the muscles she released and clenched inside so both soon moaned. He glided in and out like magic, hitting just the spot for pleasure by letting her lead and move. Soon she heard herself crying out while a part of her spirit detached and watched from above only to pull back into the intense pummeling he gave her.

Sakura screamed at the pounding tingle that washed through her with his fierce thrusts from behind, then from above. Her legs clenched tightly, but he did not complain at all. Instead, he seemed even more exited as she raked her nails down his back and bit into his shoulder shivering and reaching a climax long before he did. Thanks to his fingers stimulating her clit the sensation almost blacked her out as she soared into orbit.

That momentary lapse in concentration caused the chakra coating her channel to cease. Hot liquid spurted into her as his tip reached her core and he grunted out a low gasp. Thick, smooth and molten hot essence invaded her and she laid gasping and shaking under him. Both of them rolled over without breaking the connection but Sakura felt that choking in her throat and tears stinging her eyes. It was so good, and she had not expected it from this person.

Luckily, the puppeteer enjoyed the sensation of tangled sweaty bodies because instead of pushing her away he repositioned her to sprawl across him. His hand ran up and down her back while he gave small thrusts of his hips upward and Sakura was sure she would lose her mind and control of her over stimulated body. "Ahh… Kankuro…"

"Feel good?" he whispered to her. "I sure do."

"How do you have so much energy?" Sakura asked.

"I was wondering the same thing about you. I knew this would be a good idea because you're still with me," he chuckled awkwardly.

"Did you expect me to pass out?" Sakura asked feeling a bit sheepish still connected so intimately but the puppeteer did not mind.

"Well…' he trailed off, before catching her in a long kiss. Of course, it took a good degree of chakra reserve to manipulate three puppets at once. Moreover, he was a jonin after all.

Soberly she realized the implication of the sticky feeling inside. It was not one of her safe days, but somehow she did not feel all too scared about a child. Yet at the same time, she was terrified. Reaching up on her face, she saw a smear of colored paint. Kankuro's own face was blurred and smudged as the day she had healed him but for different reasons.

"Kankuro?" she murmured after enjoying laying there with him. His heartbeat and inhalations were soothing. Without her, he would not be alive.

"Mmm hmm Sakura?" he asked softly. "Want to go again?"

"In a little bit. You still wore me out," she admitted in a small but relaxed voice. "Are you cold?"

"A little, but I don't want to move," he chuckled. Fortunately, Sakura could reach down enough and grab a throw to toss over them. Instead, Kankuro threw a chakra string and maneuvered the blanket over them both so only their toes stuck out.

"Neither do I. I like it here, like this," she admitted, enjoying the intensity of their orgasm.

"Good. That's what I'd hoped, Sakura babe," he hummed, repositioning her so she was comfortable.

No lingering thoughts of Sasuke or Kakashi rushed through her brain, and she did not know if that was bad or good. She felt happy. Words formed on her tongue and she murmured, "Kankuro I… l lo…"

"So do I," he murmured. "I love this… and you."

Her eyes watered and voice caught as she stammered, "Love you too… Kankuro."


End file.
